Smoking a cannabis cigar at a Red Line stop led to a gun arrest — but one of the county’s most lenient judges let him out on an ankle monitor

A recent incident at a CTA Red Line platform in Chicago led to the arrest of a man, Joseph Wright, who was allegedly smoking a cannabis cigar. However, what started as a minor infraction turned into a more serious situation when officers discovered a loaded handgun in Wright’s waistband during a search.

Cook County Sheriff’s Police officers were on patrol at the 79th Street Red Line station when they observed Wright smoking what appeared to be a cannabis cigar, a violation of CTA rules. As a result, Wright was taken into custody for disorderly conduct. It was during the subsequent search that officers found the loaded firearm on his person. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office wasted no time in charging Wright with possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, felon in possession of a weapon, and possession of a firearm on public transportation.

Following his arrest, Wright appeared before Judge D’Anthony Thedford, known for his leniency when it comes to pretrial detention decisions. Despite prosecutors’ efforts to keep Wright in jail pending trial, Judge Thedford decided to release him with electronic monitoring instead. This decision is in line with Thedford’s track record of rejecting detention requests more frequently than his peers.

The incident involving Wright serves as a reminder of the importance of complying with rules and regulations, especially in public spaces such as the CTA. It also highlights the serious consequences that can arise from seemingly minor infractions. As the case moves forward, it will be interesting to see how the legal proceedings unfold and what the final outcome will be for Joseph Wright.

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